Process for applying handles to bags or suitcases, as well as bag or suitcase produced with this process

ABSTRACT

A process for applying a handle to a bag or suitcase is disclosed. The process includes producing at least one handle having at least one strip which covers at least partially a rope and is shaped so as to form one or more tongues which protrude from the rope; inserting the tongues into at least one or two slots, respectively, made on a side of the bag or suitcase; and fixing the handle to the bag or suitcase side. The present invention also relates to the bags and the suitcases produced with this process.

The present invention relates to a process for applying handles to bags, suitcases or other similar leather goods. The present invention also relates to the bags and the suitcases produced with this process.

A known bag is provided with two handles formed by a leather strip which is folded and stitched around a rope. The ends of these handles are attached to the upper half of the sides, in particular of the side walls also known in the field with the term of quadrants, of this known bag, since, if fixed to their lower half, they would fall from their ideal position by rotating downwards because of their weight, so as to inadvertently open the bag.

FR 816 308 A describes a bag comprising a handle that is attached to it by means of a series of stitches, in particular staples with one or more points, crossing an inner wall of the handle and an outer wall of the bag. These stitches, being hidden, are difficult to apply and require a relatively long preparatory and application work, since several of them are required to obtain a resistant fastening of the handle to the bag.

Object of the present invention is therefore to provide a bag or suitcase that is free from said drawbacks. Said object is achieved with a process, a bag and a suitcase whose main features are specified in the appended claims.

Thanks to the fastening process and the fastening system according to the present invention, the handle, being maintained in its substantially vertical position, it can also be fixed to the lower half of a side of a bag or suitcase without the risk of accidental opening of the latter.

Furthermore, thanks to the particular shape of the tongues of the handle and to the particular process by which these tongues are inserted and fixed into the slots formed in said side, the fastening system according to the present invention is virtually invisible both inside and outside of the side with evident aesthetic advantages of the resulting bag or suitcase.

The process according to the present invention can also be carried out in a relatively simple and fast manner, while allowing at the same time to obtain products with high quality finishes.

Further advantages and features of the process, the bag or suitcase according to the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed and non-limiting description of an embodiment thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of the handle in a first step of manufacture;

FIG. 2 shows the handle of FIG. 1 in a second step of manufacture;

FIG. 3 shows the handle of FIG. 1 in a third step of manufacture;

FIG. 4 shows the enlarged section IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged and partial top view of one end of the handle of FIG. 3 in a fourth step of manufacture;

FIG. 6 shows the handle of FIG. 5 in a fifth step of manufacture;

FIG. 7 shows a side view of the exterior of a side of a bag in a sixth step of manufacture;

FIG. 8 shows the inside of the side of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 shows the section IX-IX of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 shows a side view of the side of FIG. 7 with the end of the handle of FIG. 3 in a seventh step of manufacture;

FIG. 11 shows the inside of the side of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 shows the section XII-XII of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 shows a side view of the side of FIG. 10 in an eighth step of manufacture;

FIG. 14 shows the inside of the side of FIG. 13, and

FIG. 15 shows the section XV-XV of FIG. 14.

Referring to FIG. 1, it is seen that in a first step of manufacture a handle for bags or suitcases is produced by applying, for example with an adhesive layer, at least one rope 1, namely, generally speaking, a substantially threadlike element, to a longitudinal portion 2 a of at least one strip 2, namely, generally speaking, a substantially flat and elongated member, in particular a substantially rectangular strip of leather, which longitudinal portion 2 a is arranged between two lateral portions 2 b, 2 c of the same strip 2. In FIG. 1, the longitudinal portion 2 a is ideally separated from the lateral portions 2 b, 2 c by means of a dotted line, shown in the figure by way of example as it is not present on the strip 2. One or two anti-tear patches 3, 4 are glued onto at least one of the lateral portions 2 b, 2 c of the strip 2, at given distances d1, d2 from the ends of the strip 2. Preferably, the distance d1 is substantially equal to the distance d2.

Referring to FIG. 2, it is seen that in a subsequent step the strip 2 is bent to be arranged around the rope 1 and the two side portions 2 b and 2 c are joined together by means of a longitudinal seam 5 adjacent to the rope 1. Thus, the handle includes at least the strip 2 which is sewn on itself or on one or more other strips by means of at least the longitudinal seam 5, so as to cover at least partially, in particular wrap, the rope 1.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, it is seen that in a subsequent step the two lateral portions 2 b, 2 c of the strip 2 are trimmed along the seam 5, except at least one or two portions which are shaped so as to form one or more tongues respectively, in particular two pairs of tongues 6, 6′ and 7, 7′, which protrude outwards, namely from the rope 1, in one or both lateral portions 2 b, 2 c of the strip 2, at given distances d3, d4 from the ends of the strip 2. The distances d3 and d4 are substantially equal to each other and/or are substantially equal to the distance d1 and/or the distance d2. The tongues 6, 6′, 7, and/or 7′ preferably comprise a pointed portion, for example triangle-shaped, which is connected to the strip 2 by an intermediate portion having a width w1, w2 smaller than the width w3, w4 of the pointed portion. The outer edges of the pointed portion are preferably tapered through removal of a portion of material of these edges after that tongues 6, 6′, 7 and/or 7′ have been obtained by shaping the lateral portions 2 b, 2 c of the strip 2.

Referring to FIG. 5, it is seen that in a step which is prior, simultaneous or subsequent to the previous step one or both ends of the strip 2 and of the rope 1 are opened, flattened and glued onto a first reinforcement patch 8, for example of leather, which is a substantially trapezoid-shaped, with the shorter base facing the strip 2.

Referring to FIG. 6, it is seen that in a subsequent step a second reinforcement patch 9, in particular of an anti-tear material, having substantially the same shape and the same size of the first reinforcement patch 8, is glued and/or sewn with at least a seam 10 to the first reinforcement patch 8, with one end of the strip 2 and of the rope 1 between the first reinforcement patch 8 and the second reinforcement patch 9. The same operations, with further reinforcement patches 8 and/or 9, are preferably carried out also on the other end of the strip 2 and of the rope 1.

Referring to FIGS. 7 to 9, it is seen that at in a step which is prior, simultaneous or subsequent to those described above one or more slots 10, 10′ are made on a side 11 of a bag or suitcase. In particular, two slots 10, 10′ are formed at positions substantially symmetrical in the upper half of each side 11 of such bag or suitcase. Preferably, the slots 10, 10′ form an angle less than 15°, in particular less than 5°, with a vertical axis v. Preferably, the height h of the slots 10, 10′ is substantially equal respectively to the width w1 and/or w2 of the intermediate portion of the tongues 6, 6′, 7 and/or 7′. One or two strips 12, 12′, in particular of an anti-tear material, are sewn with at least one seam 13 beside one or both slots 10, 10′ on the inner surface of the side 11.

Referring to FIGS. 10 to 12, it is seen that in a subsequent step the pairs of tongues 6, 6′ and/or 7, 7′ are folded and inserted, preferably forced, into the slots 10 and the 10′, respectively, after which they are sewn together and/or to the tapes 12, 12′ arranged beside each slot 10, 10′ by means of at least one seam 14, in particular substantially parallel and adjacent to the slot 10, 10′. The distance d5 between one end of the strip 2 and the upper edge of the side 11 of the bag or suitcase is preferably greater than the distance d6 between the same ends of the strip 2 and the lower edge of the same side 11.

Referring to FIGS. 13 to 15, it is seen that in a subsequent step the tongue 6 and/or 7 is glued to the adjacent strip 12, which in turn is glued to the inside of the side 11. Similarly, the tongue 6′ and/or 7′ is glued to the adjacent strip 12′, which in turn is glued to the inside of the side 11. A cover 15, in particular a patch of leather, is then sewn with at least one seam 16 outside the side 11 onto one or both ends of the strip 2, so as to fix these ends between the cover 15 and the side 11, as well as between the reinforcement patches 8, 9. In an alternative embodiment the ends of the strip 2 can be fixed to the side 11 before inserting the tongues 6, 6′, 7 and/or 7′ into the slots 10, 10′.

The steps described above are preferably used to apply a second handle on the opposite side of the same bag or suitcase.

Possible changes and/or additions may be made by those skilled in the art to the embodiment of the invention herein described and illustrated while remaining within the scope of the following claims. In particular, further embodiments of the invention can comprise the technical features of one of the following claims with the addition of one or more technical features, taken singularly or in any mutual combination, described in the text and/or illustrated in the drawings. 

1-15. (canceled)
 16. Bag or suitcase comprising at least one handle which has at least one end fixed to the outside of a side of the bag or suitcase and comprises at least one strip that covers at least partially a rope, wherein one or more portions of the strip are shaped so as to form one or more tongues, respectively, which protrude from the rope and are inserted in one or more slots, respectively, made on a side of the bag or suitcase.
 17. Bag or suitcase according to claim 1, wherein the rope is applied to a longitudinal portion of the strip, which longitudinal portion is arranged between two lateral portions of the same strip, and wherein the strip is arranged around the rope and the two lateral portions are joined together by at least one longitudinal seam adjacent to the rope.
 18. Bag or suitcase according to claim 1, wherein said lateral portions of the strip are trimmed along said seam, except for one or more portions which are shaped so as to form said tongues in one or both lateral portions of the strip, at given distances from the ends of the strip.
 19. Bag or suitcase according to claim 1, wherein one or two anti-tear patches are glued onto at least one of the lateral portions of the strip, at given distances from the ends of the strip.
 20. Bag or suitcase according to claim 1, wherein the distances between the tongues and the ends of the strip are substantially equal to each other and/or are substantially equal to the distances between said anti-tear patches and the ends of the strip.
 21. Bag or suitcase according to claim 1, wherein the tongues comprise a pointed portion which is connected to the strip by an intermediate portion having a width narrower than the width of the pointed portion.
 22. Bag or suitcase according to claim 6, wherein the outer edges of the pointed portion are tapered.
 23. Bag or suitcase according to claim 6, wherein the height of a slot is substantially equal to the width of the intermediate portion of at least one tongue inserted in this slot.
 24. Bag or suitcase according to claim 1, wherein the slots are made at substantially symmetrical positions in the upper half of said side and form an angle less than 15° or less than 5°, with a vertical axis.
 25. Bag or suitcase according to claim 1, wherein one or two tapes are sewn with at least one seam beside one or both slots on the inner surface of said side.
 26. Bag or suitcase according to claim 10, wherein the tongues inserted in a slot are sewn to each other and/or to said tapes by means of at least one seam, in particular substantially parallel and adjacent to the same slot.
 27. Bag or suitcase according to claim 10, wherein at least one tongue is glued to a tape, which in turn is glued inside of the side.
 28. Bag or suitcase according to claim 1, wherein the distance between one end of the strip and the upper edge of the side of the bag or suitcase is greater than the distance between the same end of the strip and the lower edge of the side of the bag or suitcase.
 29. Bag or suitcase according to claim 1, wherein a cover is sewn with at least one seam outside of the side over one or both ends of the strip, so as to fix these ends between the cover and the side.
 30. Process for applying at least one handle to a bag or suitcase, comprising: producing at least one handle comprising at least one strip which covers at least partially a rope and is shaped so as to form one or more tongues which protrude from the rope; inserting said tongues into at least one or two slots, respectively, made on a side of the bag or suitcase; and fixing at least one end of said handle to the outside of said side.
 31. Process according to claim 30, wherein the rope is applied to a longitudinal portion of the strip, which longitudinal portion is arranged between two lateral portions of the same strip, wherein the strip is arranged around the rope and the two lateral portions are joined together by at least one longitudinal seam adjacent to the rope.
 32. Process according to claim 31, wherein said lateral portions of the strip are trimmed along said seam, except for one or more portions which are shaped so as to form said tongues in one or both lateral portions of the strip, at given distances from the ends of the strip.
 33. Process according to claim 30, wherein one or two anti-tear patches are glued onto at least one of the lateral portions of the strip, at given distances from the ends of the strip.
 34. Process according to claim 30, wherein the distances between the tongues and the ends of the strip are substantially equal to each other and/or are substantially equal to the distances between said anti-tear patches and the ends of the strip.
 35. Process according to claim 30, wherein the tongues comprise a pointed portion which is connected to the strip by an intermediate portion having a width narrower than the width of the pointed portion. 